Closure operating mechanism



June 24, 1952 1.. E. SODERQUIST CLOSURE OPERATING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 24, 1949 INVENTOR. L ESL/E E. SODERQU/ST BY 7 k ATTORNEYS June 24, 1952 E. SODERQUIST 2,601,566

CLOSURE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed March 24, 1949 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

LESLIE E. SODEROU/ST June 24, 1952 L. E. SQDERQUIST CLOSURE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed March 24, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 5

INVENTOR. LESLIE E. SODEROU/ST I ATTORNEYS Patented June 24, 1952 CLOSURE OPERATING MECHANISM Leslie E. Soderquist, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The McNeil Machine and Engineering Company,

Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 24, 1949, Serial No. 83,202

20 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a mechanism for opening and closing heavy and bulky closure ele-.

ments such as the covers for the openings of large autoclaves employed in the rubber industry. These comprise long, horizontally arranged tanks of sturdy construction and large girth, and the charge opening, and therefore its closure, are of correspondingly great size.

Heretofore such massive closures have entailed a considerable amount of manual handling in the use of such conventional locking means as multiple bayonet joints or hinged doors with crossbars having threaded thrust bolts for locking in closed position. The closures have been variously articulated in one way or another to the structure or separately handled as by hoists. The problem has, in general, been aggravated by the fact that in. spite of the size and weight of the closure structure certain minimum requirements of precision of fit are involved in a structur which must be pressure sealed.

Furthermore, in the prior practice, the closures have been handled in the area infront of the autoclave and thus required space for their movement which could be otherwise employed to advantage.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide automatic means for opening and closing heavy closure members. A further object is to provide a means for opening and closing closures for, pressure-sealed devices which obviates the use of interlocking parts at the closure area. Another and particular object is to provide a manipulating means for a closure member for a container which utilizes the space above the container for receiving the removed closure. In still greater particular, it is an object to provide an automatic closure-operating means which will, in opening, move the closure away from the mouth of the chamber and then upwardly around one end of the chamber to a position above the chamber and, in closing, first lower the closure to a position over the mouth of the chamber and then bring it against the chamber in tight sealing relation to the chamber.

These and other ends will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the following specification and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the right hand side of an autoclave,

Fig. 2 is a detail section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1, r

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the structure of Fig. 1, sectioned as along the staggered line 3-3 of Fig. 5, v

Fig. 4 is a detail section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3,

Fig- 5 is a top plan view of the structure of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken along the line 66 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 7 is a detail section taken along the line 1---'[ of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 8 is a section taken along the line 88 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, there is shown in Fig. l a horizontal autoclave of conventional aspect as to its cylindrical tanker chamber, indicated as a whole by the numeral I. Since the structure of the tank proper i not modified in the present invention, it is shown only in general outline, without the various appendages it normally carries.

The door 2 of the tank is dome-shaped and has a flanged rim 3, engageable with an annular U-shaped resilient sealing member 4 contained in a groove in a mating flange 6 on the opening of the tank body I.

The tank is supported on each side by an upright wall member comprising an inner. plate 7 and a spaced, parallel, outer plate 8, each pair of plates being attached to a foot member 9 as by welding. The wall members are connected and given lateral rigidity by means of two channel members H and I2 which pass through complementary openings in the plates and are welded in place. The outer plates 8 are somewhat shorter than the inner plates 1 and the front edges of each pair are connected by a diagonally positioned vertical plate 13.

The inner walls are further braced by means of corner pieces l4 weldedto the said walls and to the channels ll, l2. A shelf l5 for the accommodation of valves and other controls (not shown) is supported on and welded to the top edge of the vertical plate I3, is welded to plate 1, and has an extension I6 welded to the side of outer plate 8.

The tank I is supported on the top I of inner plates 1 by means of ribs [8, welded to the sides of the tank forwardly thereof, and short ribs l8 in the rear portion, and is secured in place (Fig. 7) by means of bolts l9 passing through bores in the ribs "3 and I8 and through slots 2| in the top of the plate '1 and engaged by nuts 22 in enlargements 23 of the slots 2|. Arcuate ribs 24 on the tank I, above ribs l8, l8, assist in carrying the load, thus relieving strain on the welds of the n s.

The door 2 is carried by an arched cross-head over a substantial central area. This cross-head is of generally I-section and is trunnioned, as at 26, in the front ends of a pair of links 21 which, when the door is closed, are in a horizontal plane on either side of the tank. The rear end of each link is articulated to the driving gearing presently to be described. The door and the front ends of links 21 are supported by a pair of curved arms 28, each of which is bolted at 29 to a lateral extension or boss 3| on the beam 25. The arms 28 lie in the central plane of the door and near their upper ends are spaced apart by a spacer sleeve 38. At the upper ends of the arms is located a pin 32 carrying a supporting roller 33. The latter is adapted to ride on top of a curved track or cam 34 having lugs or feet 36 by which fit it is bolted to plates 31 welded to the topof tank l. The purpose of this cam track will be later explained in connection with the door opening mechanism.

In the position of the parts when the door is closed, as-shown in Fig. 1, the roller 33 is dwelling upon an arcuate section 38 of the cam track adjoining a steep portion 38 thereof. The arcuate portion 38 thus carries the load due to the weight of the door, roller 33, links 28, and part of links 21. The cam is terminated abruptly at this point in order to afford clearance for the door in its upward swing.

By means presently tobe described, the movement of the door when near its closed position has-a'considerable component axially of thetank I. Since the door and 'attach'ed'links 28 revolve about 't'r'unnions 26 and since the links 21, at or near thecl'osed position of the door, are free to revolve about their rearward articulation, the roller 33 would 'tend to rollo'ff the end of the cam track "but such action is Iprevented'by a roller 4| journaled on a pin Mo/carried in links'44 which are mounted at their forward ends 'on the pin 32. This roller moves in a slot 43 in'the cam track, the outer end 42 of the slot serving to 'arrestthe forward movement ofthe arm 28 when the roller 33'r'ea'c'he's the portion 3S 'of'the cam track.

'The power mechanism for opening and closing the door will'now be'described.

On'e'ach "side of the tahk 1 is a bull gear '46- which has 'a welded central bushing'45 :journaled through an anti-friction sleeve '41 on a stationary v shaft48 supported in a bore in a vertical arcuate extension 50 of the plate 8, and a bore in a generally similar 'eXtensionBE of the plate I, the shaftifl being bolted to 'a-circular plate 49 which is in turn bolted to theoutside of the extension 50.

The bull gears are driven by spur gears "51 keyed "to a common shaft 52 journaled in'bushings53 in the outer plates 8 and passing through enl'argedbpenlngs 54 in the inner plate 1. The shaft 32 is driven by-a worm wheel 56 'which i'n turn is driven by a worm 51 'on 'theshaft or a motor '8. The integral housing for the w rm wheel, worm, and motor is attached to a welded extension 58, on the outer support plateB, by a bracket 6|,

Each link 21 has a circular bore 62 in its enlarged-rearward end 63 which is journ'aled on an eccentric boss 64 on the inner end of the bushing through a' bearir-ig sleeve 66 (see Fig-8). From this construction it will be apparent'that as the gear 46 rotates indirection of arrow shown on gear"46,-Fig. 1, carrying with it the bushing 45, the "center ofopening'152 in the end 63 of link 21 will describe a circle about the center of shaft 48fwith theresu1t that link 21 will move longi- 'tudinally-of-the tank I. This-is in the nature of t a toggle action of high mechanical advantage which is effective to seal the door tightly in place or to break such a seal and represents one phase of the door operating cycle, the second phase being the swinging of the door to position above the tank I.

During the initial opening action of the door, the forward thrust of the links 21, caused by rotation of the eccentrics 64, causes the links 28 to turn about pin 32 and the axis of trunnions 23 moves away from the opening of. the chamber about the center 32. When this movement has proceeded to a point where the door has cleared the mouth of the chamber, the links 21 are picked up by cylindrical pins 61 attached to the gears 46, and thereafter the links 21 partake of a swinging motion about the center of gears 46,

" the eccentric action being nullified by the conjoint movement of the links and the gears. The axis of trunnions 26 thereafter moves in a circle and the angular position of door 2, at any phaseof the swing, i dependent upon the configuration of the track 34, which, through roller 33, prevents the door'frorn swinging about trunnions 26 under the influence of its own weight.

The fully open position is indicated in broken lines in Fig. '1, the rim of the door 2 being clear of track 50 but the front part of the track being received within the hollow interior thereof.

In order to prevent, overtravel'of the gear 46 in, opening direction, a second pin 68 is provided on the inside of one of the gears 46, whichpin is adapted to engage with an abutment 69, carried on the inner support plate 1. Rotation in the closing direction is arrested by contact of pin 61 with abutment 69.

In the closing movement of the door, the action takes place in reverse order. The door is first moved in an arc downwardly about the center of gears 43 with the weight of the door. partly carried on pins 61 through links 21 and partly carried by cam 34 through roller 33. When the roller 33 drops into 'arcuate' section 38'of the cam track, the door can no longer move bodilydownward. At the point where the roller 33 comes to rest at section 38 the pin6'1 leaves the links '28 and continued movement of the gears through the'eccentrics'fi l draws thedoor intoti'ght'clamping relation, with a considerable component of its motion axially of the tank and with a force of increasing magnitude as the door closes over the tank opening due to the eccentric mounting-of the links. Toguide the door to its 'closedposition, the transverse beam '25 :is provided with inwardly extending arms 10, in the ends of which are mounted adjustable wearin shoes 12 which, as the door closes, ride onwearing 'surfa'ces 13 formed on'the inner surfaces of links 21.

It will'be seen that there is herein 'pr'ovideda mechanism which not only serves to"'auto'm'atic'ally swing-open a heavy door and move it iiito a non-essential space, but also serves asa powerful and efficient locking "means. The op'era tion of the motor'58'is regulated by push button control-mea'ns' not shown, with which are associated limitswitches which-stop-the motor at either-end of its movement. In actualoommercial'adaptations, timing mechanism may be provided to actuate the motor and open the dooratthe' 'end of a heating cycle.

While a preferred embodiment has been'shown, the invention is not to be considered as limited thereto, various changes, modifications or improvements being possiblewithout departure from the spirit and scope of the appended-clams. The

, mechanism is primarily intended for the opera tion of doors for so-called horizontal 'vulcanizers used in the curing of rubber goods, thermosetting plastics and the like, but may be likewise adapted to any type of heating chamber where the closure is heavy and hard to handle manually and where it is essential that the door be held and closed tightly against high internal pressures.

What is claimed is: I

'1. A closure means for containers comprising a door, a link pivoted at one end to said door, a ear to which the other end of said link is eccentrically pivoted, and means on the gear arranged to raise saidlink after a predetermined degree of rotation of the gear, whereby the link is moved by the eccentric pivoting in one phase of rotation of the gear, and is swung in unison with the gear by the said means in another phase of rotation of the gear.

2. A closure means for containers comprising a door, a door supporting link fixed to said door, a second link articulated at one end to said door, a gear to which the other end of the second link is eccentrically pivoted, and means on the gear arranged to contact the said second link after a predetermined degree of rotation of the said gear whereby the said second link is moved by the eccentric pivoting in one phase of rotation of the gear and is swung in unison with the gear by the said means in another phase of rotation of the gear.

3. A closure means for containers comprising a door, a door supporting link fixed to said door, a roller carried on the outer portion of said link, a track over which the roller moves during the opening and closing of the door, a second link articulated at one end to said door, a gear to which the other end of the second link is'eccentrically pivoted, and means on the gear arranged to raise the said second link after a predetermineddegree of rotation of the said gear whereby the said second link is moved by the eccentric pivoting in one phase of rotation of the gear and is swung in unison with the gear'by the said means in another phase of rotation of thegear.

4. In combination, a container having an open ing, a closure for said opening, a gear, a link articulated to said closure, means on the gear adapted to impart an outward thrust to the link to move the closure away from the container, a device actuated by further movement of the gear to raise the link at a predetermined degree of rotation of said gear. a rail above the container, and a door supporting arm fixed to said closure with itsouter end adapted to ride on the rail during movement of the door.

I i 5. In combination, a container having an opening, a closure for said opening, a gear, a link on said gear articulated at its other end to said closure, means on the gear adapted to contact the underside of said link to lift the same after a predetermined degree of rotation of the gear, an arm fixed to the closure, a rail above the container, and means on said arm adapted to bear on the rail during movement of the closure.

6. In combination, a container having an opening, a closure for said opening, a gear, a link on said gear articulated at its other end to said closure, means on the gear adapted to contact the underside of said link to lift the same after a predetermined degree of rotation of said gear, a cam track above the container, and an arm fixed to said closure and adapted to ride on said cam track during movement of the closure.

7. In combination, a container having an openacorcce ing, a closure for said opening, a gear, a link articulated at its outer end to said closure, means to impart an outward thrust'to the link, means on the gear adapted to contact the undersideof said link after a predetermined degree of rotation of said gear, a cam track above the container having a high portion joined to a low portion at the end of the container adjacent the said opening, and a door supporting arm fixed to the closure and adapted to ride on the cam track during movement of the door.

8. In combination, a container having an opening, a closure for said opening, a gear, a link on said gear articulated at its outer end to said closure, means on the gear adapted to lift said link after a predetermined phase of rotation of said gear, a cam track above the container having a high portion Joined to a low portion at the end of the container adjacent the said opening, an arm fixed to the closure and adapted to ride on the cam track during movement of the closure, and stop means to interrupt movement of said arm when said arm reaches said low portion.

9. In combination, a container having anopening, a closure for said opening, a gear, a linkon said gear articulated at its outer end to said closure, means on the gear adapted to contact the underside of said link after a predetermined phase of rotation of said gear, a cam track above the container having a high portion joined to a low portion at. the end of the container adjacent the said opening, an arin fixed to the closure and adapted to ride on the cam track during movearrest said arm when it is dwelling on said low portion.

10. The combination with a horizontal auto-.

clave havingan opening at one end, a door for said opening, a pair of links pivotally connected to the door, rotatable elements at the sides of the autoclave, eccentrics in said elements .over which the linksare received, a door supporting arm connected at its lower end to the door, a track above the autoclave over which the upperend of the arm may ride, and means operativeto raise the links after the eccentrics have swung the door to partially open position and to cause the arm to move over the track.

11. The combination with a horizontal autoclave having an opening at one end, a .door for said opening, a pair of links pivotally connected to the door, gears 'at the sides of the autoclave, eccentrics on said gears over which the links are received, a door supporting arm connected at its lower end to the door, a roller on the upper end of the arm, a track above the autoclave over which the roller moves, and abutmentson the gears located and arrangedto lift the arms after the eccentrics have moved the door to partially open position and to cause the roller to move over the track as the door is raised.

12. In combination, a container having a lateral opening, a closure for said opening, an eccentric, a link connected to the closure and actuated by the eccentric to partially open the closure and to draw the closure against the opening, means engageable with the link and operative when the closure is spaced from the opening to lift the .clave having an opening at one end thereof, a

swinging arm supported on the top of the autoclavie "and depending in front of the opening, YB; closurefor the opening carried by the lower end of thezarm, links pivoted at the .sides of the autoclave and "connected to the closure, :means operating Fin sequence first :to shift the links to move the ::closure laterallyzawayifrom the opening and thento :swing the links and lift the closure and the arm, -a "roller on the .upper end f .the farm, and a cam track :above the autoclave on which the :roller moves during the lifting of the closure, said cam track being shaped to guide :the closure around the end of the autoclave to ta .zpos'ition above theautoclave during the swinging movenl'ent :of theilinks.

.14. .An autoclave closure operating mechanism such :as set forth .in claim .13 in which onareverse movement the closure is-guided around "the end of :the autoclave toa position opposite the opening, whereupon the links are shifted .to "draw the closure againstxthe opening.

1:15,. .In combination'with :a horizontal autoclave having an opening at one :end thereof, a :closure for the-opening, an arm attached .to the closure, a roller at'the upper end of said .arm,a cam track above the autoclave'and extending axially thereof, said roller riding upon the cam track, means operative first to shift the closure laterally of the opening and then to raise the closure and swing itinranarc about the end .of the autoclave to 'a positionabove the'auto'clave, said Jc'am' trac'k beingshaped .to guide the closure in its swinging movement and prevent contact thereof with the end of the' autoclave.

116. 'In combination with a horizontalautoclave having an opening atone end thereof, a closure for the opening, an arm attached to the closure, a roller at the upperend of said arm, a cam track above the autoclave and extendingaxially there-'v of, 'saidroller riding upon the cam track, means operative first to .shiftthe closure laterally'of the opening and then to raisethe closure and'swing it in an are about the end :of the autoclave to. a position above theautoclave, said'cam track being arched to keep the closure in position so that it clears the end of the autoclave in its:movement to and from its position above the autoclave.

17. In combination-witha horizontaliautoclave having an opening at one "end thereof, a closure forthe opening, an arm attached to the closure,

a roller-at the upper end of-said arm,'a cam track above the autoclave and extending axially there'- of,said roller riding upon the 'cam track, means operative first to shift the closurezlaterally of the opening and then to raise thezclosureand swing it in an are about the end of "the autoclave to a position above the autoclave,--said cam track having a rest for the roller at its forward end and being arched rearwardly thereof Tto keep ,:the closure injposition so that it clears the end-"of th'e autoclave in its movement to :and from its position above the'autoclave, andmeans to prevent the roller from passing forwardly beyond the rest.

18. In combination with ta horizontal-autoclave .file of this patent:

8 having an opening 3.841; one .end thereof, :a .closure for "the opening, anarm attached .to .themlosure, a'rollerat theupper end of said arm, 'a cam track above Ithezauto'clave and extending axially thereof, said roller riding upon the cam*track,:means operative first to shift the closure "laterally of the opening and then to :raise .the closure and swing him an arc about the end of th'eautoclave to a position above the autoclave, saidcam track having .a rest for the rollerat its forward end andbeing arched rearwardly thereof to keep the closure in position 'so that it clears the end of theautoclave inits movement to and from its position above the autoclave, and means to prevent the roller from passing forwardly beyond the .rest, "said last named means comprising a slot in the body .of the cam track and a ;pin.

connected to the arm and movable inthe slot.

19. In combination with a horizontally ,positioned chamber having an opening in the side thereof, a'closure for'said opening, an arm connected to the closure, an arched track-way .above the chamber and extending rearwardly from the opening, the upper end of the arm riding along the .traclrwa-y, means connected to the closure to move .it toward and away from theopening while the arm is, at rest on the trackway,-.and means operative thereafter to move the arm along the trackway'a-fter the closure .is spaced fromthe opening to shift therilosurethrougfhain arcuate path to and from its fully opened position above the chamber.

20. Incombination with a horizontally .positioned chamber having .an opening .in' the side thereof, a closure for said opening, anarm connected to the closure, a .trackway abovethe chamber and extending rearwardlyl'from the opening, the upper end of "theiarm being pivotally supported and movable alongflthe .trackway, means connected to the closure to moveit toward and away {from the opening about the pivot of 'the arm, and means operative to-move the arm along the trackwayafter the closure is spaced from the openin'g'to shift the, closure through an arcuate path to andfrom its fully opened position above the chamber.

"LESLIE 'E. 'SOD'ERQUIST.

REFERENCES CITED ."Ihe following references are of record inthe UNITED STATES PATENTS Number, v Name Date 1,127,278' Rachels Feb. 2, 1915 1,158,875 Warman Nov. 2, 1915 1,230,316 Napier June 19, '1917 '1,7r 1;241 Allen July'22, 1930 1,921,415 Larsen Aug. 8, 193-3 1,967,346 Barnby 'July "24, 1934 2,097,932 'McKee NOV. 2, 1937 2,105,873 Weinheimer Jan. 18, 1 938 2,254,926 Zimmerman Sept. 2, 1941 

